


Come What May

by Briar_Rose7



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Anti Charming, Anti Hook, Anti Zelena, F/M, Season 4B fix it, anti snow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2017-05-11
Packaged: 2018-08-29 18:34:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8500735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Briar_Rose7/pseuds/Briar_Rose7
Summary: What if Regina never took Belle's heart to blackmail Rumple?Starting from the scene at the well in season 4B, here's how things would have gone in Storybrooke if I had been in charge of the show.
Nominated for Best Fix-It fic in the The Espenson Awards 2017





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this fic because I wanted to write something simple and short about Belle being by Rumple's side in 4B, and because I wanted their kiss in 4x18 (or was it 4x19?) to have a happier ending.  
> Somehow, it developed some kind of plot and turned into a 6k fic.  
> I hope you'll like it!  
> Infinite thanks to [stillsearching47](http://archiveofourown.org/users/stillsearching47/pseuds/stillsearching47) for being my beta.  
> The amazing cover art is by [midstorm](http://midstorm.tumblr.com).

“Sometimes I worry… I worry I threw out the chipped cup too soon.” 

Rumplestiltskin can barely believe his ears, while what’s left of his heart beats furiously in his chest. Belle understands. Belle still loves him. He takes a few tentative steps towards her, and she meets him halfway, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him fiercely, passionately, desperately. He clings to her, clings to the only light left in his life as his darkness recoils from her and from their love. He feels like he’s breathing for the first time in weeks. 

When the kiss ends he buries his face in her neck. He’s too scared to look in her eyes, scared that he’ll see regret and disgust in them, that she’ll send him away again. So he breathes her in and hides his tears, pressing his face against her soft skin. 

“Help me, Belle. Please help me,” he pleads, and as he starts sobbing she holds him closer, gently stroking his hair to soothe him. 

“It’s alright, Rumple. I’m here now. We can fix this.”

She keeps murmuring calming words as Rumplestiltskin’s legs start trembling so much that they have to sit on the ground. There’s a part of Belle’s brain that is still afraid and hurt, that is screaming at her to be strong and not trust him, that he’ll only break her heart again and that he doesn’t deserve her help anymore, but she doesn’t listen to that voice. She’s always been an instinctive person, and right now her instinct is telling her to help the man she loves. 

She doesn’t want to think about anything else but the fact that Rumplestiltskin is hurting; he needs her, and he’s being honest with her. There’s no scheming, no hidden plan, only a man lost in despair and darkness, just as he was when she first met him. Despite what many might think, she needs him just as desperately. The past weeks have been a nightmare to Belle, and kissing Rumple, holding him, feels so incredibly right. There will be time later for thinking and going over their problems, but now she doesn’t mind giving in to her instincts if it can make them both feel better. 

She kisses him again once he stops crying, gently cupping his face in her hands. She’s taken her gloves off, wanting to feel his skin against hers. 

“Are you feeling better now?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why do we keep suffering so much?” she says, suddenly feeling so tired of sadness, pain, hurt and loneliness. “Isn’t True Love supposed to bring happiness into people’s lives?”

Rumplestiltskin looks at her in surprise and awe.

“You still think we’re True Love?” he asks feebly.

“I do love you, Rumple. No matter how many times I tried to fight it, I just can’t stop loving you. What about you?” she asks, and for a moment he can see worry in her eyes.  

“I do love you, Belle, much more than I love my power. I have lived without power, I can manage without power, but without you… _this_ is what happens to me without you. I’m nothing without love, without _your_ love. I know I shouldn’t burden you with this but I really, _really_ have nothing left. I’ve lost everything and everyone I ever loved. I’d have stayed in New York and let my darkening heart kill me, but…” He stops talking, and Belle can feel him tense in her arms.

“But what? Rumple, what happened in New York?” What other pain did he have to go through because she banished him?

“Zelena,” he whispers. 

“What? I… I thought she was dead.”

“So did I. I went into her cell and stabbed her with the dagger, there was no way she could survive. I was sure of that, I was sure that I had avenged Bae.”

Belle takes in his admission, realizing that she can’t really blame him for trying to kill Zelena. That woman has destroyed his life, destroyed _him_. 

“She’s in New York, disguised as Marian. She came to me after I had my first heart attack. I was completely helpless against her, both physically and mentally. She doesn’t even need magic anymore to make me do her bidding.” He closes his eyes in shame and fear. “I’m scared, Belle, utterly terrified of her. We made a deal: she gave me a potion to make my heart hold on for a little while longer in exchange for me helping her get her happy ending. I can’t stop her now.”

“We’ll find a way. We’ll tell the others and together we’ll find a way.” Rather than helping him, her suggestion only seems to make him more desperate. 

“They wouldn’t understand. Regina already knows about Zelena, and she’ll go to New York to stop her and save Robin and Roland. She hates me for siding with her step-sister, she’d probably kill me if she had the chance, as would Hook. Snow White and Charming wouldn’t be that cruel, but I have no doubt that they’d think their town much safer if I just stepped over the town line and died. The others are not like you, sweetheart, they’ll never see me as anything but a monster. After what I’ve done, I can’t really blame them.” 

The sound of his wife trying to muffle a sob makes him look up from the ground.

“I’m so sorry, Rumple,” she hiccups. “I’m no better than the others. I betrayed you in more ways than you should be able to forgive. I used the dagger on you. I banished you from the town without even letting you explain, abandoning you on a street without even your cane. Back then I thought I was being strong, but now I realize I was being weak. Too weak, too scared to listen to you, afraid that I’d fall back into your arms only to have my heart broken again. Afraid that you didn’t love me, when all you ever did was loving me as I wronged you over and over again. I forgot who you really are, I let fear cloud my judgment and make me see you as a monster. I was ready to give your dagger to Hook _. Hook,_ of all people.”

“You thought you were doing what was best for everyone. I’m just sorry I tricked you.”

“No, you see? That’s exactly what is wrong with us. You always apologize and I always make demands, but I’m at fault more often than not. Yes, it was wrong of you to trick me, but what other choice did you have? That dagger controls your very soul. I should have never accepted it in the first place.”

“You refused and I insisted.”

“You did,” she admits. “But why? Why insist on me having a fake after you killed Zelena?”

He strokes her cheek with the back of his hand, mesmerized by the intensity of her gaze.

“I wanted you to have the real one because I was scared of myself, of what Zelena had turned me into. After what she did to me, after she killed my son… I knew I’d never be the same man again. The loss of Bae is something I don’t think I’ll ever be able to live with. I tried to bury that pain under the happiness of our marriage, and I gave you the dagger hoping that would help me control myself, that it would ground me somehow. Then I found the hat and I believed that getting rid of the dagger altogether would have helped me, so I took it back. Freeing myself became an obsession, and I was so caught up in it that I lied to you and hurt you almost without realizing it.”

Silent tears are falling down Belle’s cheeks. “You never told me any of this,” she whispers, and before he can apologize again she adds, “And I was too blind to see it myself. I was trying to deny the truth too, trying to pretend nothing wrong had happened. I was afraid that talking about it would have shattered us, that it would have made everything more real, so I closed my eyes in front of the truth. I was the real coward in our relationship.”

Rumplestiltskin hugs her as tightly as he can, telling her over and over that she shouldn’t blame herself. She never believes him.

They spend hours in the woods crying and apologizing, until the sun goes down and they start shivering from the cold. That’s when Rumplestiltskin magics them into the pink house, that’s finally _theirs_ once more. They get in bed together, doing nothing more than clinging to each other desperately, both starved for the other’s touch and too tired to do anything more.

Strangely enough, it’s Rumplestiltskin who falls asleep first. Dark Ones don’t need sleep, but his fight against the darkness is rapidly consuming all of his energies. Belle watches him sleep for a long time, her mind restless. She made a lot of mistakes with him, and because of that, now his life is in danger. She can’t lose him again, she _won’t_ lose him again. 

No matter how, she’s going to save her True Love. 

* * *

The following day goes by in a blur of activity for Belle. She spends endless hours reading every book she can put her hands on, frantically looking for a solution to Rumple’s problem.

She’s never more than a few feet away from her husband, constantly looking up from the old tomes just to smile at him, to hug him, to kiss him. Belle knows that her presence slows down the darkening of his heart, and she wishes she could spend more time with him rather than studying dark magic, but he needs a permanent solution, not just the brief relief she can give him. 

Rumplestiltskin never complains; he hardly speaks at all, but he cooks for her, he gives her a massage when her neck gets too stiff, he does his own research sitting right next to her. Belle has the feeling that he’s doing all of this more for her than for himself. His smiles are sweet but resigned, as if he’s already accepted his death.

Well, she has not. 

When the evening comes, Belle is starting to despair. Nothing beside True Love’s Kiss seems to have the power to save Rumplestiltskin, but his curse can only be broken in the Enchanted Forest and they don’t have the means to create a portal. 

Just to make things worse, David texts her to tell her that they’ve caught the Author, but his pen was broken in the fight. Belle has never approved of turning Emma dark, but now even that emergency plan is gone; without the pen, the Author is useless. 

The icing on the cake is that Zelena is back in town, pregnant with Robin’s child, and Belle really can’t bring herself to tell Rumple about it. It’s not like they’re leaving the house that much, and with any luck they won’t meet her until this mess is solved. 

Eventually, Belle has to admit to herself that there’s only one thing left to do: ask for the heroes’ help. Just one day earlier she wouldn’t have been so doubtful about calling Emma and the others, but now she doesn’t know what to think anymore. Rumple doesn’t trust them, and upon reflection Belle has to admit that he has his reasons not to. They might be their last chance, however, so she really can’t be picky. 

It takes her a lot of time and stubbornness, but Belle eventually manages to organize a meeting in the library for the next day. 

Once in bed, she holds onto Rumplestiltskin more desperately than the night before. The possibility of his death is like a shadow hovering over her very soul. Every time she closes her eyes her mind brings her back to Main Street, her heart shattering at the memory of her True Love disappearing in an explosion of light. Rumplestiltskin hugs her back as if she’s the one who’s dying, gently stroking her back to reassure her.

All of their fears resurface in the dark of the night, and now they’re each other’s only source of light, of hope. Neither of them could tell who is the first one to start undressing the other. They need the feeling of skin against skin, the reassurance of being as close as they can possibly be. They make love and it’s desperate and clumsy, but it’s exactly what they need right now. 

Belle falls asleep with her head on Rumple’s chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat and hoping, _praying_ that it won’t stop. 

Morning eventually comes, and Belle reaches the library feeling a bit more hopeful. She and Rumple sit and wait for the others to arrive. First comes Emma, who eyes Rumplestiltskin with ill-concealed hostility. Belle can’t really blame her after all Rumplestiltskin has recently done (or threatened to do) to her and her boyfriend.

Snow and Charming arrive soon after their daughter, and David is the only one who flashes Belle a sincere smile. Snow may pity her, but David cares, and it makes all the difference in the world. 

The atmosphere is tense but not hostile, and Belle is really feeling hopeful by the time Regina arrives.

That’s when everything goes wrong. 

Regina doesn't come alone. Together with her, there’s her sister, the anti-magic cuff around her wrist and a wicked smile on her lips. 

“It’s nice to see you again, doll. Did you miss me?” she asks, ending the sentence with a mocking laughter. 

Belle immediately feels Rumplestiltskin tense beside her, and that’s the moment she knows this morning will not end well. Her husband jumps out of his chair, backing against the wall without ever tearing his gaze away from the witch. 

Suddenly, the room is in chaos. Rumplestiltskin is stammering at Zelena to go away, Belle is screaming at Regina for her stupidity, David is shouting for help in bringing the witch out of the room, and above all this mess there is the sound of Zelena’s shrill, happy, wicked laughter. 

Rumplestiltskin is trembling so much that his legs fail to support him. His breathing is ragged, his eyes unfocused, his face twisted in pain and fear. Belle tries to hold him upright and, when she realizes she can’t, she lowers him to the ground as gently as she can, crouching beside him.

“Get out of here. All of you. NOW!” she tells the others, and for once they listen to her. She cradles Rumple’s face between her hands, trying to stop whatever is happening to him, to bring him back to her. “Rumple, hey, look at me. It’s alright now, she’s gone. You’re safe now, you’re with me,” she whispers, fear clawing at her heart and making her voice break a little.

One of Rumplestiltskin’s hands jerks up and grabs her wrist tightly, and Belle has a feeling that he’s not even aware that he made this movement. 

“I’m scared, Belle,” he mumbles. His eyes are open but still unfocused, as if he’s feeling her presence rather than actually seeing her. Belle is panicking increasingly every second that passes: it’s like her husband is slipping from her fingers and she doesn’t know how to stop him. 

“You don’t have to be. Zelena is gone now. I’m with you. I won’t let her or anyone hurt you ever again,” she answers, but he shakes his head. 

“It’s not Zelena,” he answers, and Belle leans even closer to his face because his voice is getting weaker, his words more slurred. “It’s the darkness. I’m drowning in darkness. It’s cold and dark and it hurts… I can’t fight it anymore.” Rumplestiltskin’s grasp on her wrist tightens, as if he’s really trying to hold onto her not to drown. 

“You _can_ fight it, I know you can. Please, Rumple, I just need you to be strong one more time, then we’ll find a solution. Please, please don’t give up right now,” Belle pleads, and now she can’t keep the tears from running down her face and falling onto Rumple’s cheeks. He keeps repeating that he can’t, that he’s scared, as his grip on her wrist gets weaker and weaker. Belle pleads and cries and tries True Love’s Kiss over and over again, but nothing helps.

She has to watch helplessly as the rising and falling of his chest eventually comes to a halt. Her vision blurs, her head starts spinning, and for a moment she thinks she’s going to die too. She collapses onto Rumple’s chest, her sobs so loud and powerful that she feels like they’re tearing her chest apart. She closes her eyes and presses her face against Rumple’s neck, unwilling to ever let go of him, because nothing in the world seems to make sense now that he’s gone.

When she feels him stir beneath her, she thinks some god must have listened to her prayers. When she looks into his eyes, however, the smile dies on her lips. This man is not Rumplestiltskin.

“Well hello, dearie,” he says in a shrill voice that sends shivers down her spine.

She jumps away from him, scrambling to her feet. “Who are you? What did you do to Rumplestiltskin?” She thinks she knows the answer to this question, but she doesn’t want to believe it. She instinctively walks backwards when he takes a step towards her.

“I think you’re too clever not to know who I really am.” A silence full of tension follows his words, a dramatic pause chosen to unsettle her even more. “I’m the Dark One.”

It doesn’t matter that Belle already suspected it; the truth is shocking, is scary, and is painful. “Does this mean… is Rumplestiltskin really dead?” she asks, struggling to keep her voice from wavering. He laughs at her pain, but this time she doesn’t back away when he gets closer. She will not show him her fear, not anymore.

With a sudden movement, he wraps his hand around her neck, startling her. “So worried about the useless spinner, aren’t you?” he hisses, his face mere inches from hers,  “Don’t worry, he’s still alive - for now. He is so weakened that I managed to take control of his body for a little while. I wanted to take a look at the world that will soon crawl and crumble at my feet.” 

_Rumplestiltskin is alive_. That’s the only coherent thought in Belle’s mind, and it fills her with hope, courage and strength. 

“I wouldn’t count on it,” she says defiantly. The Dark One releases her neck to cradle her face in his hands. He’s not quite touching her skin, just barely brushing it, but it’s enough to make her shiver again.  

“I’ve always… _admired_ the fire within you. We could do so much together, it would be a shame to waste it because of a stupid spinner and a childish dream of being a hero. Why don’t you do us both a favor and choose to be on the winner’s side when the carnage begins?”

He leans closer, as if to kiss her, and Belle reacts on pure instinct. She pushes him away with all of her strength, more disgusted than she’s ever been in her entire life. 

“STAY AWAY FROM ME!” She doesn’t really know why she’s shouting, but once the words are out and he’s taken a few steps back she feels safer and braver than a few seconds before.

They stare at each other, and Belle is about to speak again when the heroes burst into the library. They stare at the Dark One in confusion.

“What’s going on here? We heard you screaming,” David asks Belle.

“Nothing’s wrong, dearie,” the Dark One answers, “My _maid_ just got a bit scared. It’s okay, I have that effect on people.”

“The Dark One is controlling Rumple’s body,” Belle explains quickly. She doesn’t like the way he called her ‘maid’, as if she’s just one of his belongings.

“We’ll not let you hurt anyone,” Emma tells him. 

“Oh, don’t you worry, dearie, I’m just doing a little recon. I’m not in full control of this body yet. My reign has not begun, but make no mistakes, it will.” The monster inhabiting Rumple’s body barely spares Emma and the others a glance as he speaks. His eyes are fixed on Belle.

“We’ll stop you,” Belle promises, even though she has no idea how.  

“My my, you really like lying to yourself, don’t you?” the Dark One says mockingly. He gets closer to her once again, this time grasping both of her wrists with his hands. She can feel his breath on her face, and when he speaks again his voice is a threatening whisper. 

“Make no mistake, maid, sooner rather than later Rumplestiltskin will die, and then-” he bends his head to give her neck a quick bite- “then the real fun can begin.” 

Before Belle has the time to fight back, Rumplestiltskin’s body goes limp in her arms. Belle hurries to support him, preventing him from hitting his head on the floor. His eyes are closed and his breathing is once again normal; with any luck, this means he’ll be himself again once he wakes up. Belle looks up from her husband’s body to stare at the heroes, hoping to find support, help, solutions.

She finds none of these things. In their eyes, there’s only a cold resolution.

“The situation is much worse than what you told us, Belle.” It’s Regina who breaks the silence, doing nothing to alleviate Belle’s sense of dread.

“I didn’t know this could happen, but it’s over now,” she replies, her voice weaker than she’d like it to be. 

“You’ve heard the Dark One, the situation is only going to get worse. There will be no stopping him once he’s freed from Rumplestiltskin’s control. We must act quickly to protect the town, I think you understand this,” Regina insists, but Belle doesn’t want to understand what she’s saying.

“That’s exactly why I asked for your help. We need to save Rumple, to stop the Dark One from killing him and freeing himself.”

“There’s no more time-” Snow White interrupts her-“Rumplestiltskin could die at any moment, and then the town would be doomed.”

“He’s _not_ going to die!” Belle replies vehemently, “And what exactly are you suggesting to do, since you don’t want to help him?” A silence full of tension follows Belle’s question.

“He needs to leave Storybrooke,” Regina says.

Belle can’t believe her own ears. “What? You just want to toss him on the road like a scrap of paper, leaving him to die alone? That’s what you’re all thinking of?” Her heart aches even more because she knows that, just a couple of months ago, it was her who tossed him on the road like he meant nothing. She won’t allow others to do the same. 

“Don’t act like we are enjoying this. We’re just saying that this is the right thing to do, even if it’s painful,” Snow White replies, but her attempt to calm her only makes Belle angrier. 

“ _The right thing to do?_ Leaving a man to die is the right thing to do? I thought heroes always found another way, I thought you never gave up when someone needs your help! I guess this is only true when you’re talking about your family,” Belle spats, eyeing them all in disgust and disbelief. “Except you forget that Rumple is part of this family too.”

“Well, I think his attempt at murdering me and Hook kinda made him lose his family status,” Emma says. “And if I remember correctly, you’re the one who sent him away. The town would have never been in danger had he stayed in New York.”

“Banishing him was the worst choice I ever made, and it doesn’t change the fact that you’re suggesting we leave a man to die because it makes things easier for us,” Belle replies. 

“That’s a logic he would agree with. He was ready to let Greg die when he arrived in town,” Snow White says. 

Belle is speechless, and as a last resort she turns to David, her friend, because she can’t believe that he is okay with this too. “David, please, tell them something. You can’t let them do this,” she pleads.

He squirms uncomfortably under her gaze. “I don’t know, Belle. I would never want you to suffer, but we’re talking of the whole town being in danger. Sometimes we need to make difficult choices to protect as many people as possible; that’s our duty as rulers.”

Belle looks at them, at these people she’s called friends until yesterday, at the faces that smiled proudly at her when she banished her own husband, and feels so ashamed. She prides herself in being clever and perceptive, yet she has let them fool her for so long. 

“Fine,” she says with a new resolution. “Rumple will leave, and I’ll leave with him.”

This does seem to move them a bit. None of the empty words they say to convince her to stay, however, can change her resolve; she swore she’d be by Rumple’s side for better and for worse, and she’s already failed that vow once. She’ll learn from her mistake and do the right thing this time around. Eventually, they give up on convincing her to stay, and they settle to meet at the town line at dusk. They want to make sure Rumplestiltskin does leave the town.

When they leave and Belle is left alone, she sits by Rumplestiltskin’s sleeping form and cries. 

When he wakes up, Belle finds it almost impossible to tell him what the others have decided. She wants to suggest that they ignore their demands and stay in town, but she’s also aware that they don’t have the strength to put up a fight right now.

Unlike her, Rumplestiltskin is not surprised by the heroes’ decision, and he accepts it with resignation. He tries to tell her to stay in town, that he doesn’t want her to be an outcast because of him, but he understands soon enough that there’s no changing her mind. He kisses her and tries to hide just how happy he is that she’d rather turn her back on her whole world rather than leave him. It’s selfish of him, but he really can’t stop joy from bubbling in his chest knowing that, for what little is left of his life, he won’t be alone. 

They go back to the pink house, and start packing. Belle keeps muttering offensive comments about the heroes, and at one point she starts talking about the wonderful life they’ll have once they leave town, of the thousands of places they’ll see, of how badly the heroes will regret their choice. She’s trying to deny his incoming death, and he needs to stop her. 

“Belle,” he calls her, but she doesn’t hear or, more likely, doesn’t want to. She can feel from his voice that he wants to talk about something serious, and she’s not sure she can bear it right now. 

“Belle,” he tries again, this time louder, and she stops mid-sentence while planning their trip to Paris. 

“We need to talk,” he says, and she nods silently. Now that he has her attention, he realizes that he doesn’t really know what to say. He sits on the edge of their bed, and she sits next to him.

“I’m going to die,” he states simply, because there’s really no other way to put it. 

“Rumple, you-” He interrupts her reply before she can say more.

“I know what you’re going to say: that I won’t, that you’ll save me, but we have to be honest about this. I’m going to die very soon, and we can do nothing to stop it.” 

She doesn’t deny it this time, but her eyes fill with tears. 

“I’ve lived much longer than I was supposed to, and most of those years I spent suffering, struggling, losing every person I’ve ever cared for. I’m honestly not afraid to die, not in the Land Without Magic, where there will be no Dark One feeding on my soul. For me, it will be like finally getting to rest after so much pain.”

Belle puts her hand on his knee, and Rumplestiltskin knows that she’s fighting really hard against the urge to interrupt him. He appreciates her for this. 

“There’s really just one thing that’s troubling me,” he continues. “You. I want you to promise me that you’ll move on, that you won’t let my death stop you from living the wonderful life you deserve.”

She shakes her head, tears running down her face. “You can’t ask me this. I… I can’t. I can’t live without you.”

He cradles her face in his hands, his brows furrowing in concern. “I don’t want to hear those words ever again. Of course you can.”

“Then I don’t want to.” She puts her hands over his, and she doesn’t want to think that soon there will be no one to hold her like he does. “I know what it feels like to lose you, and I don’t want to feel it ever again.”

He leans even closer, his forehead touching hers. “Belle, sweetheart, you’ll never really lose me. My heart belongs to you, and it always will. I’ll keep watching over you from whatever pit of hell I’ll be in.”

She shakes her head, her voice barely more then a broken whisper. “If you end up in hell, then there’s no justice even in the afterlife.”

He presses a tender kiss on her lips. “They do say that love is blind. Belle, don’t insult your intelligence by believing that I’ll end up anywhere but in hell. That’s where monsters belong.”

She pulls back a little to look into his eyes. “You are not a monster, and you certainly don’t deserve any more pain. You have made many mistakes in your life, but I believe you’ve already paid enough. And even if all of your pain wasn’t enough, there’s one more reason why you deserve heaven: me. The joy you brought into my life _must_ mean something. No matter how much pain came out of our relationship, every moment of happiness with you is worth all of it. When you entered my life you changed it for the better, and I think you should be rewarded for the love you gifted me with.”

“Oh Belle…” He doesn’t know what to say, and a million years wouldn’t be enough to find the right words to thank her. He kisses her again and again, his thumbs stroking her cheeks as happiness fills his chest. He made her _happy._ This simple thought makes him feel proud of himself for the first time in what feels like years. Maybe something good can come from him after all. 

He stopped her to talk about death, but they’re both smiling when they resume packing up.

* * *

The sun is setting when they reach the town line. Emma, Hook, Regina and the Charmings are here, the whole clan coming to assist their enemy’s demise.

They could simply drive out of town and get it over with, but Belle wants to look into the hypocrites’ eyes one more time, she wants them to feel ashamed in front of her resolve, and a part of her hopes that this might change their mind. She tries to recall every lesson on posture she was taught as a girl, and she gets out of the Cadillac with the composure of a queen. Her face is a mask of pride and disdain. 

“Are you sure you want to leave with the Crocodile?” Hook asks, and Belle can’t believe that he still refuses to call him by his real name. 

“Would I be here if I weren’t?” she answers simply, and no one replies. None of them makes a move to hug her or even say goodbye in any way. David is the one who looks the most uncomfortable, and it’s eventually him who breaks the silence. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispers, standing awkwardly in front of her. “For all of this. I really am.”

“I know,” she acknowledges, and a part of her is happy that at least she wasn’t completely wrong on David. “But sorry isn’t enough right now.” She will forgive him in time, but now is the time for resentment. 

Belle walks back to the Cadillac, and she’s already opening the car door when they all hear a car nearing the town line at a breakneck speed. It’s Doc’s Miata, but Belle can’t imagine that dwarf driving that way. In fact, when the car finally comes to a halt in front of them, it’s Leroy who gets out of the driver’s seat, as Henry is already jumping out of the car and running towards his mothers. 

“I have found a solution!” he screams, and everyone looks at him in confusion. “I know how to help Grandpa Gold,” he explains. Everyone looks at him in shock. 

“How?” Belle asks, hope bubbling in her chest.

“I went to the Apprentice. When I heard that Grandpa was dying and you were leaving town I knew I had to do something, and he was the only one I could think of with magic powerful enough to do something. Apparently I was wrong, since he told me he can’t stop the Dark One, but he gave me this.” He fishes a big, old key out of his pocket, and shows it to his family. “This is an enchanted key. It turns every door into a door for-”

“The Land of Untold Stories,” Rumplestiltskin finishes for him. Belle doesn’t know when exactly he got out of the car. 

“Exactly,” Henry confirms, “That’s the place where people’s stories come to a halt; if you go there, your story will never play out and the Dark One will never consume your soul. I know this isn’t a perfect solution, but it’s the best I could find in such little time.”

Rumplestiltskin smiles gratefully at him. “It’s amazing, Henry. You’re saving my life.” He takes the key from his grandson, but there is one more thing he needs to know before he can leave.

“Why do you care about saving me?” Rumplestiltskin asks.

“Because… well, because it’s the right thing to do,” Henry answers simply. “Also because I think you deserve a second chance. Yes, you’ve done some pretty bad things, but you made lots of mistakes with my dad too, and he gave you another chance. Now I want to do the same thing.” 

It takes Rumplestiltskin a lot of effort to talk despite the lump forming in his throat. “You’re so much like him; so brave, so clever and way too kind towards me. He’d be very proud of you,” he says, silently asking his grandson for the permission to hug him. Henry smiles and wraps his arms around his grandfather, hoping that the time will come when they’ll finally be able to sit and talk about his father a little more. 

Belle looks at the exchange with tears in her eyes and a turmoil of emotions in her chest. 

“He was terrified that he wasn’t going to make it in time,” Leroy’s voice comes from behind her. “I think Doc will have to pay tons of fines for our little trip in his car.”

Belle laughs a little and turns around to smile at her friend.

“Thank you, Leroy. He definitely wouldn’t have made it without you,” she says.

“You’re welcome, sister. I’m just glad that you’ll get another chance at a happy ending,” he says somewhat awkwardly. He has never been good at expressing friendship, but Belle can read him and his actions well enough to know how meaningful these words are.  

“I think this time will be the good one,” she says hopefully.

“I’m sure it will. If he breaks your heart again, however, you know where to find me and my pickaxe.”

Belle has no doubt that he’d really go chasing Rumplestiltskin with his pickaxe if he deemed it necessary, and the thought makes her laugh again. 

“Can I ask you one favor?” she asks, and he nods. 

“Could you tell my father where I’m going? I left him a letter to tell him that I was leaving town, but now we’ve changed plans, I’d like him to know exactly where I am.” She doesn’t like the idea of leaving Storybrooke without talking to her father first, but she really doesn’t feel like she had another option. She loves her father, but he’s also overprotective of her and she really didn’t have it in herself to spend the afternoon fighting with him. She hopes that he’ll forgive her for this.

“Consider it done, Belle,” he assures her.

“Thanks, Leroy. I’m really going to miss you,” Belle says, hugging him. He hugs her back somewhat awkwardly.

Belle parts from Leroy and goes back to Rumplestiltskin, who’s waiting for her next to the car. There are still tears in his eyes after his exchange with Henry, but he’s smiling, and for the first time in too long his smile is hopeful. That’s the moment when the reality of what just happened hits Belle: he’s going to live. They will have a future together and they owe it all to Henry and Leroy. 

“Are you sure about this?” Rumple asks her, once she’s standing next to him. 

“Absolutely,” she says as she takes hold of his hand. 

His smile gets even brighter, and he leans over to press one tender, quick kiss to her lips. He doesn’t say a word, but she knows that this kiss means hope, gratitude, _love_.

The key magically shrinks to fit the lock of the car door, and suddenly a portal opens before them.

“Ladies first,” Rumplestiltskin says smiling. 

Belle fights back a sudden surge of fear in front of the swirling magic and steps inside it, never letting go of Rumple’s hand.  He swiftly follows her, and now they’re floating together towards a new life, Storybrooke and its pains now behind them.

Belle has no idea of what to expect from the Land of Untold Stories, but she’s not afraid anymore. So long as Rumple is by her side, she will go anywhere. 

  



	2. Old Friends and New Deals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On tumblr, [still-searching47](http://still-searching47.tumblr.com) asked: "Come What May!Rumple: With your story stopped you still had all the power of the dark one right? Did you make any interesting deals in the land of untold stories? Or come across any old 'friends' *cough* Hyde *cough*"
> 
> I wasn't planning a second chapter, but it happened anyway, and I'm glad :D

When it came to deals, the Land of Untold Stories was very different from the Enchanted Forest. Back in his home land, Rumplestiltskin had preyed on desperate souls, asking steep prices in exchange for riches, fame, health or whatever it was that his targets were after.

This land, however, was a sanctuary for desperate souls; this meant that many of them were not so desperate anymore. The fatally ill like him were no longer in need of a cure, the runaways didn’t need to hide anymore, the star-crossed lovers had escaped their impending doom. Even though many of them still wanted to find a way to solve their problems and go back to their homelands, they weren’t desperate for solutions, so there was only so much he could ask in exchange. Having just arrived in this land, he soon realized that the most valuable thing he could ask for as a price, without turning people away, was information.

That’s how he learned that, for him and Belle, going back to the Enchanted Forest would be rather difficult. The magical keys, in fact, could only return people to the land they’d departed from. That would stay true even if they used someone else’s key - they’d always end up in Storybrooke, and that would mean death for him. He needed to find a way to the Enchanted Forest, where True Love’s kiss could cure him, but once again the boundaries between different worlds kept him trapped, unable to reach the realm he really wanted to be in. 

This time, at least, he wasn’t alone. Belle looked happier than he’d seen her in a long time, and her smile gave meaning to his days. Here, far away from the people who hated him, where hardly anybody knew him and he wasn’t constantly faced with the memories and proof of his past mistakes, it felt so much easier to simply be happy with her. His smiles were turning more frequent and more sincere, and he honestly couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so little fear. He still had troubles understanding Belle’s love for him, but he could no longer doubt it; Belle’s love was a miracle he didn’t deserve, but it was undeniably real. All he wanted now was to bring her as soon as possible to the Enchanted Forest. This land, in fact, wasn’t much different from Neverland; stories didn’t unfold here because time didn’t pass. Only in the Enchanted Forest, where time moved, their new life together could finally begin; that was a story he really didn’t want to stay untold.

Given that the keys were not an option, he started looking around for other sources of powerful magic. 

“Well, I don’t know if it’s actual magic, but I do know of someone with great powers,” said the woman in front of him. Rumplestiltskin had asked her for information in exchange for a potion to heal her son from the venom of a snake that bit him in their homeland. He’d never admit it, but he would have probably helped the little boy even without a price being paid. The memory of another little boy with a fatal snake bite danced in his mind’s eye.

“Tell me more. Who is this person? What do you mean when you say you don’t know if their powers are magical in nature?” he inquired.

“I mean that it doesn’t look like any magic I had seen or heard of before coming here, but he’s powerful and dangerous. He lives in a great mansion in the northern part of town that people call ‘The Asylum’, and it’s a place you should probably keep away from. Mr Hyde isn’t someone you’d want as an enemy.”

Rumplestiltskin felt his blood run cold. 

“Did you just say ‘Mr Hyde’?”

“I did, why?” the woman asked, taking a step back as Rumplestiltskin’s shock turned to fear and, eventually, to something darker, something dangerous: the look of a man who was ready to kill. 

“Your price is paid, here is your potion,” he said to the woman, tossing her the vial. One moment later, he was gone in a puff of smoke, desperate to find Belle and make sure she was okay. 

Belle had decided to stay at home for the day. Rumplestiltskin had recently acquired a couple of books on this land’s history, and she was studying them, hoping that understanding this world would help them find a way out of it. She wasn’t unhappy here, but she was aware that Rumplestiltskin was anxious to go back home, and she suspected it was because he was still afraid that she would one day grow tired of being stuck here because of him. She had noticed, however, that despite his urge to go back home Rumplestiltskin looked more serene than she’d ever seen him. She took it as a good sign, and accepted that he couldn’t possibly shed a lifetime of fears and anxiety overnight. Without constant emergencies demanding her attention, she had all the time in the world to help him slowly regain his confidence, showing him day after day just how happy she was with him. In the meantime, she had a whole new land to explore, and some very interesting books to study. 

She startled when she heard someone knocking heavily on the door. She wasn’t expecting anyone, and was surprised to find a really nervous man standing on her doorstep. Stammering, he told her that his name was Henry, that he was a doctor, and that he was on the run after finally escaping the man that had kept him prisoner for so long. He was obviously in shock, and Belle put on the kettle to make him a cup of tea, as she reassured him that he was safe now; she knew the pain of being held captive, and she wouldn’t let anyone go through that. 

“No one will find you here. My husband warded this house with magic, no one can force their way through these walls,” she explained. 

“I didn’t know there were such powerful wizards around here. I didn’t think Hyde would tolerate the competition,” Henry said, and Belle turned around at the mention of that name. 

“Hyde? Is that the man who kept you prisoner?” she asked, memories of books she’d read in Storybrooke flooding her mind. 

“Yes. You’ve heard of him?” the man inquired, turning even more nervous. 

There was something about him that set her nerves on edge, but Belle couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She smiled, trying to hide her own uneasiness. 

“No, not quite. As for competition, well, Rumplestiltskin and I have only been here for a few weeks, Hyde probably doesn’t know about us yet,” she said, her heart beating furiously in her chest as she realized that even in this land they would never be left alone, that danger would always be lurking around the corner. 

His expression turned sour when she mentioned her husband. 

“So, you’re Rumplestiltskin’s _wife_?” he asked, sounding shocked and slightly wary of her.

Belle sighed; it was a reaction she was used to by now.

“Yes, I am, and I’m sorry for whatever troubles he may have caused you in the past. I swear he’s a changed man now, you don’t need to be afraid of him,” she explained calmly. 

“I appreciate the sentiment,” he said in a pained voice. “But sentiment won’t bring back Mary.”

“Mary? Is she someone you loved?” she asked, already feeling guilty for doubting about Henry. He was clearly hurting, and he needed her help.

“With all of my heart. Until Hyde destroyed that love,” he explained.

“Whatever happened,” she told him as she poured the tea, “whatever Hyde did to Mary, I’m sorry.”

“If only she’d been strong enough to resist Hyde, she’d be _mine_ ,” he mused, and something in his voice sent a shiver down Belle’s spine.

“Yours?” she asked him.

“I mean we’d be together,” he corrected himself, but he didn’t sound convinced.

Belle was once again reminded of the fact that Hyde was probably the character from the book she’d read in Storybrooke, and that he wasn’t the only important character in that story.

“So, you’ve told me you’re a doctor, right? Could you tell me your name again?” she asked, hoping that her voice was coming out as normal as possible.

“My name is Henry. Henry Jekyll,” he answered, clearly oblivious to his own fame in another world. 

Belle turned around under the pretense of getting the sugar, trying to calm down and think rationally. She could hear the blood pumping in her ears, and for the first time she missed Storybrooke’s technology; with her cellphone, she could have had Rumple by her side in no time. They’d felt too sure, too safe, and hadn’t thought of any way to communicate with each other in times of need. They’d need to do something about that when this was over.

She didn’t know what exactly prompted her to grab the kettle again; maybe she felt Jekyll move behind her back, maybe it was only a lucky coincidence. All that mattered was that, when he suddenly grabbed her arm, she was ready: she turned around and, using all of her strength, slammed the kettle into Jekyll’s temple.

Rumplestiltskin started calling for Belle as soon as he appeared in his home.

“Over here, Rumple. You have perfect timing,” he heard Belle say from the kitchen. 

He walked towards her voice, and what he saw shocked him. Henry Jekyll laid unconscious on the floor, as Belle busied herself tying him up. 

“What the hell happened here?” he asked, his brain struggling to put the pieces of the puzzle together. 

As soon as Belle filled him in, he pulled her into a crushing hug; he’d been so close to losing her, and the thought left him breathless. 

“It’s alright, Rumple, I’m fine,” she reassured him. Her heart was still pounding after the brief fight, but she was also proud of how she’d managed to protect herself.

“I know, I just… I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you,” he whispered against her hair.

“You can’t possibly be by my side at any given moment. I do think that we might need something to communicate quickly, but should something ever happen to me, I don’t want you to blame yourself,” she replied, pulling back from the hug to look in his eyes.

“How could I not blame myself?” he asked her. “It’s my enemies that come looking for you every time. You’re in danger because of me.” 

His voice was pained, his eyes haunted. Belle couldn’t bear to see him like this. She kissed him, wrapping her arms tighter around him, and smiled against his lips when she started to feel him relax. She’d learned by now that, no matter how scared he was, her presence could always ground him to reality, reminding him that nothing was lost as long as they were still together.

“I don’t care if every single one of your old enemies comes looking for me: I’m ready to face them all. I’ve already learned how to escape ropes and chains, and if it comes to it I’ll also learn how to swordfight or protect myself with magic. I don’t mind the danger as long as I’m with you,” she said when they broke their kiss, her eyes shining with determination.

Rumplestiltskin teared up at her affirmation. She thought he was worthy of her efforts, somehow she believed that being with him was worth becoming a constant target. He wasn’t used to the idea, to people thinking he was worth anything, and Belle knew that much. She’d chosen just the right words, because she knew the effect they’d have on him. She was amazing, and Rumplestiltskin loved the look of determination on her face, the look that meant that she wouldn’t let anything change her mind, not even him. 

“So, what do we do with him?” she asked after a while, nodding to Jekyll. “Is he really _that_ Dr. Jekyll?” she inquired. 

“Indeed. I’m afraid I have a bit of history with him,” Rumplestiltskin admitted, suddenly looking ashamed. 

Belle wasn’t afraid of what she might find out. She’d accepted a long time ago that Rumplestiltskin had done horrible things in the past, but she also knew that those days were over. Rumplestiltskin had never crossed certain lines, and he was ashamed of most of what he’d done. His history wouldn’t turn her away, as she’d already told him more times than she could count.

All it took for Rumplestiltskin to spill the truth to her was her gaze, so firm yet so full of love. He wasn’t proud of what he’d done, of how he’d tried to suppress his feelings for her, but Belle accepted the truth without batting an eye. Sure, she was surprised, but not once did she look like she was judging him for it. 

They took Jekyll back to the Asylum, and after talking to him (which mostly consisted of Belle trying to reason with him and Jekyll trying to break free and kill them both) they used the serum they found there to turn him into Hyde. 

It was only after talking with him that Rumplestiltskin finally realized that Hyde had no part in Mary’s murder. The misery, the rage in Hyde’s voice reminded Rumplestiltskin of himself, of how he’d felt when he’d thought Belle had died. Now he found himself pitying Hyde, a man who, just like him, was supposed to be a monster, yet had fallen prey to love anyway.

“So, what do you plan on doing now? Kill me?” he asked them defiantly.

“Of course not,” answered Belle. “We’re not murderers.”

“Then you must know that you’ll never be safe here. This is my kingdom, and neither I nor my other half will stop until we get our revenge. It’s only a matter of time.” he replied, fixing his red-eyed gaze on Belle. 

“Revenge won’t bring back Mary,” Belle whispered, sincere sorrow seeping into her words. 

Hyde didn’t seem to like it.

“Don’t you dare even speak her name. Not you, who married the monster responsible for all of this!” he shouted, fighting against his bindings, desperate to wrap his hands around her neck and plunge Rumplestiltskin into the same misery he was drowning in.

Belle sighed, not even flinching in front of Hyde’s hatred. 

“I know my husband has done horrible things, and I’m sorry for that, but there’s also love and goodness in him, just as there’s love and goodness in you. I’m sure Mary saw that, and she wouldn’t want you to lose part of yourself because of her. Love should make us better people, even when it hurts.” 

“Whatever she saw in me, it died with her,” Hyde replied.

“No, it didn’t. Look at what you’re ready to do in her name, look at how far you’re ready to go to avenge her. Even if revenge is not the answer, your anger is proof of how much you cared about her. All of that rage, all of that passion isn’t inherently wrong; it’s human, and I learned it thanks to Rumplestiltskin.”

Belle turned briefly to look at her husband; she had not realized how much those words were true until she’d spoken them out loud. Once upon a time, she would have pointed her finger accusingly against anyone who dared speak of revenge. In her mind, the whole world should have been kind and forgiving. Being with Rumplestiltskin had made her realize that sometimes life and people were simply too cruel to forgive and forget. Her conscience still drove her to avoid vengeance, but she wasn’t ashamed anymore of the rage that filled her heart whenever Rumplestiltskin was threatened. 

Hyde was looking at Belle in shock, as if he were seeing her for the first time. 

“You’re just like her,” he whispered. “You’re not afraid of darkness, and you’re way too fond of your monster, just like Mary.”

Belle smiled sadly at him, recognizing the similarities between Hyde and her husband. She didn’t say anything, waiting for him to talk again.

“You don’t deserve to die,” he said eventually. “Just like she didn’t. Rumplestiltskin deserves to pay for what he’s done, but not like this.”

Belle stepped slightly away from Hyde, smiling at her husband.

“Well, I suppose it’s a start,” she stated, ever the optimist. 

Now that they knew she wouldn’t be in danger from both Jekyll and Hyde, they could work on separating the two men. It wouldn’t be fair to force them to keep sharing a body, nor to merge them back into a single person; too much had happened, and they had basically become two different people.

They would need to find a way to keep them confined, so that they could no longer hurt anyone else in this land, and so that they could atone for their misdeeds. What would happen after that was up to Jekyll and Hyde themselves. Belle firmly believed that nothing should determine a person’s fate, not even their past mistakes. They had both done awful things, but Belle had faith that, with a bit of help, they could change, just like her husband had done.

She took Rumplestiltskin’s hand, silently reassuring him that he didn’t need to fear for her safety; she knew what she was doing. Rumplestiltskin smiled back and, for a moment, he wasn’t afraid of anything; if there was one thing he was sure of, it was that he trusted her. 


	3. Unexpected Developments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [still-searching47](http://still-searching47.tumblr.com) (who is also my wonderful beta) prompted: Zelena goes to the land of untold stories and runs into Rumple and Belle.
> 
> This was written for my 500 followers celebration.

Many months had passed since Rumplestiltskin and Belle had arrived in the Land of Untold Stories. All of their attempts to reach the Enchanted Forest had failed, but by now Rumplestiltskin’s frustration was turning into quiet acceptance. Even though he wasn’t going to give up, he was learning how to enjoy the life they already had here, rather than hopelessly strive for the one they _could_ have.

Jekyll and Hyde hadn’t been a problem since their first encounter, and both Belle and Rumplestiltskin had found a place in this new land. Belle was working as a translator at the great library in the center of town, while Rumplestiltskin had become widely known for his magical abilities, and by now he simply let people buy his spells and potions, rather than make deals for them. Crafting spells had, quite simply, become his work, and he realized he liked it that way. People no longer sneered at him like he was a monster coming to steal their children (as if he’d ever taken a child against its parents’ will); he was a seller, not much different from a baker, or a tailor, or indeed a healer. He was just much more powerful than the typical hedgerow herbalist. True, he’d also softened in recent years; he was no longer the loan shark that was ready to evict people for a few missing dollars, and that probably helped his reputation as well. 

One of the first things he’d bought once they’d settled in this land was a spinning wheel. He could have just conjured one with magic, but spinning was the one trait that had always belonged more to his human self than to the curse. He wanted his spinning wheel to be a normal, man-made one.

That afternoon found him, sitting at the wheel, spinning; not gold, but soft wool, the well-known and repetitive movements helping him relax after brewing a rather complicated potion. He was almost disappointed when someone knocked on the heavy doors of the house he shared with Belle; he didn’t want to interrupt his activity, but he supposed he couldn’t start turning down work without even hearing the client’s demands. Rumplestiltskin sighed and got up, hoping that whomever was asking for his help would present an easily solvable problem.

He opened the door to find a young, blonde woman with a newborn in her arms. 

“Hi! I’ve just arrived in this land, and I believe you might be able to help me. I’ve heard you’re the man to see when it comes to magic and happy endings. May I come in?” she asked.

For a moment Rumplestiltskin had the feeling he knew this woman, but he was certain he’d never seen her face before. He reasoned that, after centuries of life and countless deals, he’d probably met someone who looked a bit like her, so the confusion likely came from that. 

“So, what can I help you with?” he asked her once she was sitting in the room he used as a study.

“There are people after me. They want to take my daughter away from me and never let me see her again. I can’t let them do that.”

Rumplestiltskin eyed the sleeping baby, his expression turning softer and sad. 

“Believe me, I know the fear of losing a child. I’m sure we can find a solution to protect you both,” he assured.

He turned around to browse his inventory, his mind already sifting through many possible plans to keep mother and daughter together.

“Let’s just hope you’ll do better with my daughter than you did with your own son, shall we?” came the woman’s voice from behind him. 

Rumplestiltskin froze, pure panic coursing through his veins. How could this woman know about his son? The lilt of her voice… the venom in her words… _it wasn’t possible…_

“Did you miss me, doll?”

This time it was Zelena’s voice that pierced his ears, sending shivers down his spine as he turned around to face her. With the glamour spell now gone, he could see the woman from his nightmares standing right in front of him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice chocking with fear. 

“You see, when you left Storybrooke, I was too caught up in my pregnancy to care about you. Now, however, things have changed. I knew Regina and Robin wanted to take my baby from me, but as always I was one step ahead of them. I killed the Apprentice, stole his wand, and opened a portal to this place, so that I could pay a little visit to my old teacher. I’m a loyal student, after all.”

“What do you want from me?”

He was trembling and shivering, his hands clammy as he fidgeted with his ring. 

“Why, my happy ending, of course,” she replied, smirking.

Zelena waved her hand to make a crib appear in the room. She laid her daughter in it, then started walking towards Rumplestiltskin, who reacted on pure instinct: he raised his hand and tried to choke her with magic. As soon as he did, he felt a sharp pain in his chest and doubled over, releasing his hold on Zelena. The witch laughed as he tried to catch his breath.

“Poor pathetic Dark One, did you forget about the deal we made? Your life for my own, plus my happy ending. Try to hit me, try to fight me, and all you’ll do is hurt yourself.”

Zelena strode towards him, and Rumplestiltskin stepped back, soon finding himself with his back against the library. He was trapped. Zelena eventually reached him, invading his personal space and pressing herself against him. Gods, it was just like one of his nightmares had come to life.

“No, please, no,” he whimpered helplessly as she weaved her hand through his hair, painfully pulling it to force him to look in her eyes. 

“Oh, yes. You’re once again nothing more but a doll in my hands, to play with as I prefer. So, why don’t you do yourself a favor and accept it? Let’s start with something simple, how do I keep Regina and Robin from finding me and my daughter?”

The thought of that innocent child left in Zelena’s hands awakened something deep inside of him, some primordial protective instinct that gave him the courage he’d never had. 

“You’re asking me to help you keep that child, after what you did to her father? _Never,”_ he spat out.

Once again, a searing pain forced him to double over, pressing him further against Zelena. He didn’t understand; he hadn’t hurt her or threatened her, how was this possible?

“Poor doll, wasn’t I clear earlier? You owe me my happy ending, and refusing to hold up your end of our deal will have the same effect as trying to kill me. Oh, and for your information: I’m not asking you to help me, I’m _ordering_ you. So now be a good Dark One, and say that you will help me, or I’m afraid the tiny lump of coal in your chest will keep hurting.”

He didn’t want to agree, he’d never wanted to agree to any of her plans, but he needed the pain to stop, he needed to be able to stand upright and keep whatever distance he could between himself and Zelena, and as long as he was doubling over in pain he couldn’t. 

“I will do it. I’ll help you,” he whimpered. 

Tears had started rolling down his cheeks. _Please, please stop touching me._

“Such a good boy. Now, how about we go get your dagger? Who knows, maybe I’ll realize that I really like having you around again, and I’ll want to keep you with me _forever,”_ she whispered viciously in his ear.

The feeling of her hot breath against his face made his skin crawl. She wanted the dagger. She would enslave him once again, and this time he wouldn’t be able to endure it without going crazy, without losing himself once and for all. In a sudden moment of lucid despair he realized that his only hope was to stall her until Belle arrived. He knew she was coming, and he was terrified at the idea of Belle facing Zelena, but his wife was his only hope. He just needed to buy a little time.

“Please, Zelena, please, don’t…”

“Shush!” she silenced him, pressing one of her long fingers against his mouth. “What did I say, doll? We really need to work on your obedience. You know, I want to be generous, and I’ll give you an incentive: if you start behaving, I might even consider letting your little bookworm live.”

As Zelena spoke, the hand that she’d used to shush him had started traveling down, reaching the exposed skin of his chest, where he’d left his shirt unbuttoned. 

_No, no, gods anything but this, don’t touch me, DON’T TOUCH ME!_

“Step away from my husband _now_ , and this bookworm might consider letting _you_ live.”

Belle’s voice had never sounded so cold and threatening, yet Rumplestiltskin had never been happier to hear it. Zelena turned around to find the other woman pointing a small crossbow at her. Rumplestiltskin breathed out a sigh of relief: Belle’s idea on how to communicate in case of emergency had worked wonderfully. When he’d activated the spell on his wedding ring, Belle’s had activated too, and she had been alerted that he was in danger.

“I said step back,” Belle repeated.

“Or what? You’ll prick me with that toothpick?” Zelena scoffed, laughing at the tiny arrow that was pointed against her. “Rumple, dear, do me a favor and…”

Zelena’s words were cut short by a scream of pain. Belle had shot her, the arrow was lodged in her shoulder, and somehow Zelena’s magic hadn’t been able to block it.

“This was a warning, the next one will go straight in your heart,” Belle threatened. “Rumple, come stand behind me, now!”

Rumplestiltskin walked towards Belle on trembling legs. He was almost scared by the look of pure fury in her gaze. He’d never seen her like this, and some deep, dark part of him, the part that was mostly tied to his curse, rejoiced at the sight of Belle’s anger. She wasn’t a perfect and pure fairytale princess, not anymore; right now she was dark and dangerous, a perfect match for the Dark One. 

Belle’s eyes never left the witch, who was currently inspecting her wound.

“Don’t be so surprised. These arrows and crossbow were made with a mixture of powerful spells and this world’s special kind of techno-magic. There was no way you could have stopped it, and yes, that’s why they’re so painful. The crossbow is also enchanted to never miss its target, so believe me when I say you’d better start doing as I say.”

“Are you telling me that sweet, heroic Belle would leave an innocent child motherless?” Zelena mocked her. 

“You’re not that child’s mother,” came Belle’s cold response. “You may have given birth to her, but you have no more right to be in her life than you have to be in Robin’s, or Rumple’s. You’re a monster, and no child should be burdened with your presence. I know what a mother is, what a mother should be, and you’re nothing like that. Being a mother means being able to feel love and sympathy, and you simply don’t. You want that child for yourself, because you want someone to love you, not because it’s the best thing for her. Everything you do, it’s always what’s best for _you_ , _your_ best chance.”

Zelena growled in anger, glaring daggers at her. 

“You don’t have the guts to shoot me. You’re just like your husband, weak and pathetic.”

“Try me.”

Zelena raised her hand as if to cast a spell, and Belle was about to pull the trigger when the other woman stopped, letting out a deep breath and lowering her arm.

“Rumple, I need you to restrain her, can you do that?” Belle asked.

Rumplestiltskin nodded, albeit hesitantly. “Yes, of course.”

He waved a hand to conjure the magical cuffs they’d built, ready to apply them to Zelena’s wrists, and that’s when Zelena attacked. Belle could feel her magic trying to wrench the crossbow out of her hands and, on instinct, she tightened her hold on it, pulling the trigger.

It was all over in a moment. The arrow left the crossbow and fled the brief distance towards Zelena, plunging straight into the witch’s heart.

Zelena fell like a marionette whose strings had been cut. For a moment, it was like everything and everyone in the room had frozen. Belle and Rumplestiltskin stared at the lifeless body, both struggling to believe what had just happened.

Then Belle dropped the crossbow to the ground and put her head in her hands, overcome with horror and desperately trying to cling to denial. That brought Rumplestiltskin out of his stupor, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I never wanted this to happen to you,” he whispered in her ear.

“I… I reacted on instinct,” Belle whimpered, unable to take her eyes off Zelena’s body.

“I know, sweetheart, I know. You saved me.”

“No, you… you don’t understand. The arrow went where I wanted it to go. When Zelena tried to disarm me, my first thought was that I wanted to protect you, to shield you from this woman that had already hurt you so much, and in that moment I really, truly wanted her _gone_. I killed her because I wanted to, and what does that say about me?”

There were tears in her eyes, and her expression was haunted. Rumplestiltskin gently cupped her face in his hands.

“Belle, it says nothing about you. You’re the same person you were this morning, you were simply put in a terrible situation. Loving someone means wanting to protect them, and what you did is absolutely human. You aren’t like me. When I went after Regina or Zelena I wasn’t in danger anymore; I wanted revenge, I wanted to make them pay, but you, you were protecting me. You made a hard choice, you decided to do something horrible because you wanted to save someone else, and if that isn’t a heroic thing to do, then I don’t know what heroes are anymore. Don’t torture yourself for loving someone that much,” he said, his eyes never leaving hers.

“When I saw the way she was pressed against you, I… I lost control. I mean, I was perfectly lucid, but I felt like I could have ripped her throat out with my bare hands. She was horrible, and I… I wanted you to be free. I’m so relieved that you’re safe.” 

Belle pressed her face against his neck, wrapping her arms tighter around him. For a while they simply stood there in silence, as Rumplestiltskin tried to process all that had happened. Zelena was dead. Belle had saved him. Belle had killed a woman to save him. Was he ruining his wife’s life? Was his presence forcing Belle to make choices and do things she would have never done without him? Possibly. However, he was too much of a coward to let her go, and he knew that she wouldn’t let him push her away again. She loved him, and her actions today were further proof of it. He knew the feeling she’d spoken of, that burning rage that came from loving someone so deeply, so ferociously, that you were ready to tear the world apart for them. He’d first felt it with Bae, then with her. He would always do anything to protect her. 

They only broke apart when Zelena’s daughter started crying. They rushed over to her crib, and Rumplestiltskin instinctively picked her up, trying to soothe her.

“It’s alright, little one, it’s alright, we’ve got you,” he cooed.

“We need to bring her back to Robin,” Belle stated matter-of-factly.

The former thief was probably worried sick, knowing that his daughter was in Zelena’s hands, and Belle was relieved at the thought that Robin, just like Rumple, was now free from the nightmare Zelena must have been for him. 

“Back to Storybrooke,” Rumple replied, and Belle immediately realized what it meant: going to Storybrooke was a big risk for him. 

“I’ll go. Alone. I’ll take the key, the baby, and I’ll be back as soon as I’m done.”

Rumplestiltskin had started shaking his head no before she could even finish her sentence.

“Absolutely not. I’m not letting you go alone into the lion’s den. What if they try to force you to stay in town? What if Regina gets angry for what happened to Zelena? What if…”

Belle stopped him mid-sentence.

“What if you take a deep breath, and calm down a bit?” she said, putting her hands on his shoulders. “I think I just proved that I can take care of myself. I’ll bring the crossbow with me, and I’ll be back in no time. I will be fine, I promise,” she said reassuringly.

Rumplestiltskin sighed heavily, well aware that Belle’s plan was their best option.

“If you’re not back in three hours, I’ll come to get you, my heart be damned,” he muttered. 

“How?” she asked. “If I take the key, how will you get to Storybrooke?”

“Zelena mentioned a wand she took from the Apprentice, and that she used it to get here. If she could make it work, so can I, and you can bet that I’ll figure out how to use it in way less than three hours,” Rumplestiltskin explained, still gently rocking the baby in his arms. 

“Wonderful. I’d better go now, I don’t want to leave Robin waiting one minute longer than necessary,” Belle reasoned. 

They fetched the enchanted key from the drawer where they’d hidden it, then Rumplestiltskin handed Belle the sleeping baby. 

“Be careful, and remember: three hours, and I’ll come to get you,” he said, pressing a soft kiss against her lips. 

“I know you will,” she replied, turning the key inside their bedroom door. 

In a burst of light, she was gone.

Rumplestiltskin was thankful for his self-imposed task of finding out how the Apprentice’s wand worked: it kept him busy and prevented him from worrying too much for Belle. Luckily, he didn’t have to search Zelena’s body to find the wand: she’d put it in her boot, like she used to do with his dagger. Another wave of his hand and her body was gone, vanishing from his study without leaving a trace.

She was finally gone, finally out of his life forever.

It took him an hour and a half to make the wand work. Twenty minutes later, Belle was back, a happy smile on her face.

“Everything went as smoothly as possible. Sure, at first they thought I was lying to hide the fact that _you_ had killed Zelena, and Regina was a bit shocked by the whole thing, but it’s not like anyone is going to cry over Zelena’s death. Robin kept thanking me, he said that I saved his family for the second time, and that he owes me more than he could ever repay. I have to admit that I teared up a bit when he got reunited with his daughter. Her name is Jane, by the way,” she told Rumplestiltskin.

Her husband was obviously relieved to see that she was back unharmed, but there was something wrong with him, there was a stiffness to his body when he hugged her, a nervousness that had nothing to do with her little trip.

“Rumple, what’s the matter? Did something happen while I was away?” she inquired.

He looked away from her, gazing worriedly at his workbench.

“I studied the wand while you were gone. It’s a really powerful object, one that can only be used by those who have darkness in them, but that’s not the most important thing,” he muttered, fidgeting as he always did when he was nervous.

“So what’s the most important thing?” she asked, not understanding why her husband was so worried abut having a powerful magical object in his house. 

“That wand can take us to the Enchanted Forest. It can take us home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should probably add to my list of hobbies: "making Zelena die, possibly at Belle's hands."  
> Seriously, killing the witch makes me really really happy.  
> I loved writing this chapter, so I hope you liked reading it.  
> Btw, I just realized that the first chapter is written in present tense, while the others are not. This happened because I generally don't use present tense in fics, but Come What May felt better that way. Then I got prompts to write more chapters (chapters that I hadn't planned in the slightest) and I mindlessly switched back to my usual writing style. I hope you aren't too bothered by this!


	4. All I Ask of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [still-searching47t](http://still-searching47.tumblr.com) (who is also my beta) prompted: Belle talks to Rumple about starting a family once they can leave the land of untold stories.

Belle stared at her husband, momentarily shocked by the news. “We can leave? Really?” she asked. Belle knew what he had just said, but it was so momentous she needed confirmation.

“Yes, we can. Whenever we want to,” Rumplestiltskin repeated. 

“Then why aren’t you happy? You’ve waited for this moment for _months._ ” Belle’s brow furrowed in confusion; she really didn’t understand her husband’s nervousness.

“I’m not sure. I suppose I was getting used to this life, and now I’m… surprised, I guess.”

Belle knew he was being honest, but she also knew there was more to it. “And?” she pressed, encouraging him to go on.

“And I’m scared. I’m scared because I don’t know what’s going to happen. I was waiting for this moment, I know, but now that it’s happening _for real_ , I’m afraid that nothing will go as planned. Everything was going fine here, but what if, when our story plays out, we find out that there’s no happy ending for us? There are so many things that could go wrong,” he blurted out.

Rumplestiltskin was overwhelmed by the hundreds of dreadful possibilities ahead of them, and ashamed for being so paralyzed by them. He was so lost in his own mind that he startled when Belle put her hands on his shoulders. 

“Rumple, calm down. Take a breath. Remember that we don’t _have_ to do anything we don’t want to. If you don’t want to leave, then we can stay. If you want to wait until you feel ready, we’ll wait. I’m not leaving you either way; I’m with you,” she whispered, soothing him with her voice and touch. “Why don’t we talk about all the things you feel could go wrong, and see if there’s something we can do about it?”

He gulped down, looking at her like a deer caught in the headlights. “Not here,” he murmured.

Belle knew what he meant. In the past few months, they’d developed a peculiar habit; whenever one of them felt overwhelmed, whenever they needed to talk about something that scared or hurt them, they went to Belle’s reading room. It was a nice, cozy little room, with a small fireplace and a spacious armchair. Rumplestiltskin always sat on it with Belle across his lap, and the closeness helped them face whatever they were dealing with. 

They did the same thing today, and once Rumplestiltskin was holding her so close to his chest that it was almost painful, he finally started talking. 

“I’m afraid of what the Enchanted Forest might have become. After the first curse, since most of the humans were gone, ogres were roaming freely. With the second one, even more people were dragged to Storybrooke; what if we arrive and there’s no safe place for us to live?” 

He had started off with something simple, something that was undeniably true but not quite related to him and his failures. 

“Some kingdoms should still be in place,” Belle reasoned. “Ariel and Eric’s, for example. If the whole Enchanted Forest is dangerous, however, we can go away. We can travel to Arendelle, to Agrabah, or somewhere else,” she suggested.

“What if I can’t protect you?” Rumplestiltskin replied, his voice trembling. “What if we decide to travel to Arendelle, and something happens along the way? I won’t be the Dark One anymore, Belle, just a crippled spinner. We’ll be alone and we’ll be vulnerable,” he went on, fixing his watery gaze on hers. He couldn’t bear the thought of Belle getting hurt because of his weakness.

“We can bring along the weapons we made. We can make a potion that will heal your ankle. If we think this through, I’m sure we can organize the whole thing so that we won’t be caught unaware by anything,” Belle replied, thoughtful. 

Rumplestiltskin lowered his gaze, taking in Belle’s words. He was growing increasingly ashamed by the minute for how easily he had panicked, and even more so since nothing quite managed to calm him down. He knew Belle was right, he knew she had a point, but he simply couldn’t quell the worries gnawing at his heart. 

Belle saw the struggle on her husband’s face, and decided that she wouldn’t have any of it. When everything else failed, there was only one way to make him feel less ashamed of his own fears.

“Now it’s my turn,” she said, surprising him. “I’m afraid of losing you. I’m afraid that True Love’s Kiss won’t work, and that…” she trailed off. She couldn’t bring herself to say it, not when she’d already seen it happening twice.

Rumplestiltskin brought his hand to her cheek, stroking it softly. “Belle, I will be fine. I promise. I do love you, and this time I’m ready to give up my curse,” he vowed.

Belle shook her head. “I know, but what if it doesn’t work that way? What if True Love’s Kiss can only work once for the same curse? What if the reason why it never worked in Storybrooke it’s not that magic was different there, but that we wasted our only chance? I’m scared,” she repeated, burying her face in the crook of his neck. 

“I won’t die, Belle. I promise,” he repeated, even though he knew it was an empty promise; there was nothing he could do to make sure their kiss worked. “I’m positive that we will break the curse, but should we fail, we can still use the key again and come back here before anything bad happens,” he whispered in her ear. 

Belle clung almost desperately to him, haunted by the memory of when she’d thought him dead in her library, trembling as she recalled the sickening feeling of his absence that had threatened to suffocate her every day after he’d given his life to stop Pan. 

Rumplestiltskin held her close, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. It was in moments like this that he realized they were quite the odd pair; both so scared yet so firm in giving courage to the other. 

“I’m afraid that I won’t be able to give you the life you deserve,” Rumplestiltskin went on once Belle had calmed down a bit. “You are a noble in our land, while without my powers I’ll be back to being a spinner. Before I became the Dark One, I barely even managed to feed myself; how can I ask you to move into a hovel and work yourself to exhaustion every day? What kind of life is that? I don’t have anything to offer you, Belle, only a life of misery and isolation. Your father, your friends, they’re all back in Storybrooke; as long as we stay here, you can change your mind and go back to them whenever you want, but once we reach the Enchanted Forest and I lose my powers, there will be no coming back. You’ll be separated from them once and for all, and I’m afraid that one day I’ll fail you and you’ll realize that being with me wasn’t worth all you left behind. I want you to think this through, because if we go, it’s forever,” he breathed, his fingers nervously twisting Belle’s soft skirt. 

Saying it out loud did nothing to soothe his fear. Rumplestiltskin knew Belle wasn’t anything like Milah, yet he couldn’t help but worry that she would grow to loathe him just as much. His first wife had felt trapped with him, shackled to a miserable life because of the coward she hadn't known he was, and Rumplestiltskin would rather have his heart broken here and now, than wake up one day and see Belle’s eyes filled with that kind of resentment. 

He was looking down, too ashamed to meet his wife’s gaze, and he startled when Belle put her hand on his cheek.

“Well, I did promise you forever, didn’t it?” she said softly, as if she were soothing a wounded animal. “Twice, actually. Once in my father’s castle, and once at the well, when I married you. Mr Gold never breaks a deal, but neither does Mrs Gold,” she insisted. 

He couldn’t help but smile a little at her words; no matter how much time passed, he’d never get tired of hearing Belle call herself Mrs Gold.

“Rumple, do you think I fell in love with you because of your power or your money?” she asked him.

“No, of course not,” he replied immediately. The mere idea was ridiculous; Belle’s heart was far too pure to lust after riches or power.

“Then why should my feelings change because we won’t have that anymore? I love you, I’ve loved you for years, and living in a hovel rather than in a castle doesn’t matter to me, not as long as we can share it,” Belle said softly, closing the distance between them to press her lips against his.

Rumplestiltskin melted into the kiss, finding in it the comfort and the love he needed. When eventually Belle pulled back, they spent a few seconds in comfortable silence, both lost in their thoughts. Rumplestiltskin was trying to let the meaning of her words sink in, to repeat them to himself so that he could actually start to believe them. Belle, for her part, was trying to find the right words to bring up what she believed might be one of Rumple’s biggest problems.

“Are you scared about losing your curse?” she asked eventually.

Rumplestiltskin looked down at her, a bit startled by the question. “Belle, I… yes, I am. I wish I could say I’m stronger than that, but the truth is that I’m afraid. Not as afraid as I once was, but I’ve lived with the power for so long that I don’t know who I am without it anymore,” he admitted.

“You’re my husband,” she replied simply. “You’re the man I love, and that loves me. You’ll be the same man without your power, because your heart will be the same. The curse darkens it, twists your feelings and thoughts, but I can see you, the _real_ you, the speck of bright red amidst the darkness, and I love you for it.”

“Belle, my darkness doesn’t just come from the curse. The curse amplifies it, but that darkness is mine. That fear, that rage, that’s all me, not the curse,” he admitted in a feeble voice, fearing Belle’s reaction. Maybe she was expecting him to turn into someone else once his curse was lifted, and she’d be highly disappointed. 

Belle only smiled at his words. “Do you think I don’t know? I love you, all of you, even your darkness, as long as it’s yours, and not some evil entity that’s slowly killing you. Don’t you remember my wedding vows? I’m well aware of your flaws, but you’re just as aware of mine. All that matters is that the mask of the monster will be gone, that we’ll face everything together, that you won’t push me away anymore. That’s all I ask of you.”

“I won’t, Belle, I promise,” he vowed. One of his hands was resting on her neck, idly playing with her hair, and he used it to press her even closer, so that he could kiss her again. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Belle,” he murmured against her lips. “You’re my strength.”

“And you’re mine,” she replied. “You know how much I like to play the part of the hero, but it’s always you who pick up the pieces after my attempts backfire. I wouldn’t be the same person without you.”

Belle was looking sheepishly at him after her admission, and Rumplestiltskin shook his head, flabbergasted. “Belle, what are you talking about? You _are_ a hero. You saved your people from the ogres, then proceeded to save me from myself. You never let pain turn you into bitter person; not when I broke your heart, not when you were imprisoned, not as you were hurt over and over again just because you had dared to love me. You’ve always been ready to risk and sacrifice _anything_ to do the right thing, to help those in need. You’re not simply brave and smart, you’re also just, loving and compassionate. You’re a hero, though and through, and, if I may, _my hero_ in particular. Without you, Belle, I’d be lost,” he declared passionately, hoping that she would sense just how much he meant every single one of those words. 

Belle was blushing, once again amazed by the way his eyes shone whenever he was talking about her. It was like he was making love to her with his eyes only, and it turned her knees to jelly; she felt loved, she felt cherished, she felt important. No matter how many times she doubted herself, Rumplestiltskin was always there to reassure her, to make her feel like the hero she’d always wanted to be. She was so happy with him, even more so now that they were far away from most of the things that had hurt them in the past. These months of almost complete quiet had allowed them to really see what their life together would be like, and Belle had no doubt: she wanted to spend the rest of her days with him. She wanted to wake up every morning as he tickled her nose, she wanted to see his happy smile whenever she made him teacakes, she wanted to be his little spoon every night. She wanted them to become a family. 

That, she was afraid, was the only problem left to face.

“Rumple, there’s one more thing I need to talk to you about,” she started, her hands instinctively coming up to pet his hair. She knew how much that gesture soothed him, and he would really need it to tackle this issue. 

“Tell me, sweetheart,” he encouraged her, worried but clearly oblivious to the reason of her uncertainty. 

There was no good way to put it, so the only thing to do was to go straight to the point. “Do you think you’ll ever want to have children with me?” she asked in one breath, speaking so quickly that she was almost afraid he wouldn’t understand the question.

The way his face fell, however, was immediate proof that he’d heard perfectly. 

“I know it’s too soon to think about that,” she went on before he had found the strength to answer. “But here time doesn’t move, and we didn’t have to worry about that. In the Enchanted Forest, however, I might get pregnant at any moment. If we don’t want children, we’ll have to take precautions, so we need to decide now.” Belle bit her lower lip in worry. She needed him to understand that she would have never brought up the topic without necessity.

“Oh Belle,” Rumplestiltskin breathed, his voice cracking. His lip trembled and tears filled his eyes. He shook his head minutely as he searched for the words, and Belle's heart broke for him. “Believe me, nothing would make me happier than having a child with you,” he went on, the thought of forming a family with Belle making his lips twitch for a moment in what could have been a smile. “I just… I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready for that. I’d want nothing more than to hold in my arms a child of ours, to raise a baby that would have your kindness and your bravery, but I don’t know if I can.”

Tears were rolling down Rumplestiltskin’s cheeks, his breath hitching as he tried to keep control. “There are moments when I can almost forget that my son is gone. We’re so far away from everything that reminds me of him, that sometimes I forget that he’s not back in Storybrooke with everyone else; in these moments, the pain fades, and I can live with it. Then I see a child, or I hear someone talking about their son, and it’s like losing him again. I see my Bae in every little boy with dark hair, I hear him laugh in my dreams, then I wake up and realize that none of that was real,” he was sobbing helplessly now, crushing Belle to his chest and burying his face against her neck.

“He was my son, he was part of me, and when it mattered the most I couldn’t protect him,” he wailed. His chest was hurting, as if his heart was being ripped into shreds, and for the millionth time he wondered if it was possible to die of heartbreak. He surely felt like he was dying. “He’s DEAD, my son is dead because of me! I failed him, I failed him one time too many, and I don’t know how to live with that. I don’t know how to look at another child of mine, and believe that I won’t fail him as well,” he cried out, his entire body wracked by sobs. 

Belle was painfully aware that there was nothing that she could do. Rumplestiltskin was crying as he’d never done before, as he _should have done_ before, and all she could do for him was to hold him, to offer him a shoulder to cry on.

“I’m sorry, Rumple. I’m so, so sorry,” she whispered in his ear. 

She had no idea how long he spent crying in her arms, his body trembling as he tried to catch his breath in between sobs. He eventually ran out of tears, and even though his breathing was still ragged, he was once again able to speak. 

“I’m sorry, Belle,” he croaked. “I wish you didn’t have to put up with all of this. You deserve something better than to be married to someone as broken as me.”

Belle shook her head, wiping away her own tears. “Please, stop apologizing,” she begged him. “You already have to endure so much pain, I don’t want you to blame yourself on top of it. You’re not broken, you’re hurting. What’s amazing is that, no matter how much you’ve lost, how much you’ve been through, you never lost your ability to love. You’re incredibly strong and brave, Rumple, and you’re the farthest thing from broken,” she murmured.

Belle truly meant what she’d said, but she was afraid her words would feel empty in front of his pain. He was dealing with something inhuman, something no person should ever have to deal with, and now she was afraid that if they weren’t careful his loss would destroy him. She supposed that talking about it, finally letting out all the tears he’d bottled up for so long, was a step forward, but she was also worried of all the warning signs that she might have missed in the past months. How long had he been denying his feelings, both to her and to himself?

“I really would love to have children with you one day,” he rasped. “I promise I’ll try my best to heal so that it can happen.” 

Belle was about to reply that he didn’t have to feel obliged, that she would give up on the idea of children if it pained him too much, but then she saw the look in his eyes. There was sadness, of course, and fear, but there was also something more. Under all that pain, she could see the glint, the warmth that his eyes had always held whenever he talked of Bae. He _did_ want more children, Belle realized. He wanted them desperately, but not now, not so soon. He needed time to grieve, time to heal, and Belle would be by his side every step of the way. She wouldn’t let the memory of what Zelena had done stop Rumplestiltskin from having children if he wanted them; Belle had already learned how to deal with the aftermath of his imprisonment, she’d even killed the witch to protect him, she would help him through this as well. Now they both knew that the other wanted to start a family; Belle had faith that this would help them through the hard times ahead.

One day, their dreams of having a family _would_ come true. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this got sadder than I expected. I wanted them to leave the Land of Untold Stories before the end of the chapter, but there was really too much they needed to talk about. I won't deny it: writing the last part of Rumple's breakdown was painful :(


	5. Trust Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before they can get their happy ending, Rumple and Belle have to be brave and take a leap of faith.

After their heartfelt conversation, Rumplestiltskin and Belle decided that the sooner they left the Land of Untold Stories, the better. There was no good reason to postpone their departure, and they both agreed on the fact that waiting would only make them more anxious.

It took them almost two weeks to plan everything. Rumplestiltskin enchanted two satchels to contain much more than they were supposed to, without getting too heavy in the process. Inside the satchels they put some clothes, food, and a few parchments with some useful spells and informations, plus the vials containing a couple potions they thought would be useful, including the one needed to heal Rumplestiltskin’s ankle. Rumplestiltskin’s dagger and the enchanted key would go into the inner pocket of his cloak, with a few coins, while the rest of their money would be sewn into the bodice of Belle’s dress. With most of the population gone, the Enchanted Forest was bound to be more dangerous than usual, and running into bandits was a very real possibility; hiding their valuables could make the difference between having a good start or starving after a few days. Belle was incredibly glad that they had her enchanted crossbow, and a similarly enchanted dagger, just in case.

There weren’t many friends they needed to say goodbye to. Sure enough, they’d been _friendly_ with many people in the past months - well, Belle had been, while Rumplestiltskin had just started to learn how to react when people didn’t look at him with mistrust - but they’d developed very few actual _friendships_. The staff of the library, however, organized a small farewell party, and both Rumplestiltskin and Belle enjoyed the evening a great deal. It had been a long time since they’d been invited to any social event, a long time since they’d even felt an accepted part of the community, and the friendly atmosphere kept their minds off of their worries for a while. Rumplestiltskin even made a quip, that this party was definitely better than those the Charmings used to hold at Granny’s, since her frozen lasagna was absolutely no match for the food they’d found here. Belle couldn’t help but agree; she’d taken a second portion of _everything_ , and there was a kind of chocolate ice-cream, made with a special recipe from Arendelle, that she was probably going to miss for the rest of her life. 

The highlight of the evening, however, was when the dancing started. It wasn’t a ball, there weren’t large gowns or any etiquette they had to follow, and it was all the more fun because of that. Belle and Rumplestiltskin would have happily danced with each other all night, but since the party had been organized so that people could say goodbye to them, it would have been rude to ignore everyone else for the entire evening. That’s why Belle accepted with a smile the request for a dance from the baker, and waltzed away with him after kissing her husband on the cheek.

Rumplestiltskin smiled as he followed Belle with his gaze. He loved nothing more than to hold her close as they danced, but now that he wasn’t distracted by her closeness he could focus on so many things that he usually missed when they danced together. She was so naturally graceful, moving effortlessly around the ballroom as if she were flying rather than dancing. Her smile was so open and sincere, her happiness so obvious, and Rumplestiltskin was so lost in his admiration of her that at first he didn’t realize someone was talking to him.

“May I have this dance?” said a woman to his left, and even though she was looking directly at him, for a moment Rumplestiltskin was sure she couldn’t possibly be asking _him_ for a dance. 

“Excuse me?” he asked, bewildered. 

“I was wondering if you’d like to dance with me,” the woman repeated. 

Rumplestiltskin was so shocked that he nodded his consent almost without realizing it, and one moment later the woman was dragging him towards the dance floor. Rumplestiltskin now recognized her as the seamstress who lived only a few houses away from them; he barely knew her, but he’d had the chance to see some of her works, finding them extremely well-made, and he told her as much. To his surprise, conversation flew easily after that. Talia - that was her name - did most of the talking, but Rumplestiltskin was more than happy to listen, and from time to time he interrupted her with questions or little observations. They mostly talked about her work, of the differences between the clothing styles of several kingdoms, and how much she’d learned from those differences; Rumplestiltskin could hardly imagine a topic he would have loved more. 

Before taking on the curse of the Dark One, Rumplestiltskin had mostly been a spinner and a weaver, but he had also learned the basics of sewing. He only did it out of necessity, yet he really loved the way he could turn a piece of cloth into something that he or his wife could wear, and gifting Milah with something he had made was one of his favorite demonstrations of love. However, he didn’t really have the time or the money necessary to set his creativity free. Many years later, once he’d become the most powerful being of the Enchanted Forest, he’d had many sleepless nights to fill. One of the first things he had done with the time had been learning the finest techniques of sewing. Also, thanks to his changed circumstances, he had all the gold and refined materials a man could dream of, and he could finally work without any kind of restriction, shaping the most precious fabrics into real works of art. Unfortunately, by that time, there was no one left to appreciate the fruits of his labour. The next thing he’d made for a specific person had been Belle’s blue dress, the one he’d given her once it became clear that her golden gown would only be an impediment during her chores.

“Do you mind if I borrow my husband for a minute?” Belle said, coming closer to them at the end of the dance.

“He’s all yours. You’re a lucky woman, Belle: my husband can’t help but step on my toes when we dance,” Talia joked, walking away after flashing them one last smile. 

“Did you mind? About the dance, I mean,” Rumplestiltskin asked immediately.

“Not at all. Actually, I came over because I wanted to tell you how happy I am. I saw you talking with Talia, and you were so relaxed, so at ease with her. I’m so glad that you’re enjoying yourself just as much as I am,” Belle said, smiling.

Jealousy hadn’t even crossed her mind. Since the day she’d realized she loved him, Belle had been hoping that, gradually, Rumplestiltskin would learn how to let other people in, and that one day he could develop a few friendships. It obviously wouldn’t happen with anyone who lived here, since they were leaving, but the way he was carrying himself tonight was giving her hope for the future.

“Also, you’re so handsome when you smile, and that really made me want to kiss you,” Belle added, pressing her lips against his. 

The rest of the night went by in a blur of music and aching feet, and Rumplestiltskin danced with many more women, and even a couple of men. When Belle and him eventually got back home, it was with no little shock that Rumplestiltskin realized that he had really _enjoyed_ himself. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d felt so comfortable around people who weren’t Belle or Bae, but tonight he’d been so relaxed that he’d even managed to forget his anxiety over their departure. He fell asleep with a smile on his lips, holding Belle close and feeling unusually hopeful about their future. 

Two days later, Belle and Rumplestiltskin were already up and about by the time the sun rose. They wanted to leave early in the morning, so that they’d have the entire day to get re-acquainted with the Enchanted Forest before they had to find shelter for the night. They checked their supplies over and over again, and eventually they had to admit that they couldn’t be more ready than this. 

“I’ll try to take us right outside the Dark Castle,” Rumplestiltskin explained. “I’d take us right inside, but I’m not used to this form of realm traveling, and my castle has been subject to a lot of magic over the years; I wouldn’t want that to cause any interference.”

“Okay,” Belle murmured.

Her face was pale, her voice tense, and she was fidgeting nervously with her satchel. Rumplestiltskin wrapped her in a hug, gently massaging her back to comfort her.

“Promise me you’ll be okay,” Belle whispered against his neck. 

“Of course I will be. You’re with me, nothing could go wrong.”

Rumplestiltskin knew far too well that wasn’t true, that so many things could go wrong, but right now he didn’t care. As they planned their departure, he’d slowly realized that Belle was far more scared by it than he was, and the need to protect and reassure her was making him forget his own fears. Obviously, he wasn’t unaffected by the thought that in just a handful of minutes he could either be human again, or dead, but his main focus was Belle’s happiness. Through some miracle, that happiness included him, and he’d do anything in his power to give his wife the life she dreamed of. 

“Don’t think about what could go wrong, Belle. Today is the beginning of our happy ending, and we just have to take this one final step to reach it,” Rumplestiltskin said encouragingly.

“Are we sure we want to do this? Are you sure you’re not just doing it for me? You’ll have to give up your power if we go, we can’t take that lightly,” Belle pointed out.

Deep down, she knew that she wasn’t being completely honest. She did worry about Rumple’s power, of how much it meant to him and how he would feel after losing it, but the truth was that she was simply scared of losing him. The darkness would restart consuming his heart as soon as they set foot in the Enchanted Forest, and the thought stole Belle’s breath away. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was walking her husband into a death trap.

“Sweetheart, we already talked about this. I don’t want us to be trapped here forever just because I can’t give up my magic. I’ve lived without it before, I can do it again. If your only objection against the Enchanted Forest is that you think it might be bad for me, I swear that there’s nothing you should worry about. If there’s something else, however, please tell me.”

As he spoke, Rumplestiltskin pulled back from the hug, just enough to look his wife in the eyes. He could see the fear in them, and how she was torn between the urge to postpone everything and the awareness that she wouldn’t solve anything by doing so. Rumplestiltskin wouldn't mind waiting, and he most certainly wouldn’t judge Belle for not being brave this once, but he also knew that _she_ would hate herself for it.

“Never let me go,” Belle murmured, taking one of his hands in hers. 

“Never,” Rumplestiltskin vowed.

“Then let’s go.” 

Rumplestiltskin grabbed the wand, checking for the last time that they both had their satchels, then took a deep breath and let the magic do its work. A spiraling portal opened before them, a rustling and flashing vortex of power that immediately sent a shiver down Rumplestiltskin’s spine; that kind of magic brought too many bad memories to his mind. He lowered the defensive spells around the house, not needing them anymore, then he squeezed Belle’s hand, a gesture that was meant to reassure her just as much as himself. Belle turned her head to look at him. They took a deep breath at the same time and, before they could once again change their minds, they threw themselves into the swirling magic.

They crashed onto the forest’s floor, landing in a pile of fallen leaves. That was the first surprise; looking at the trees it was clear that it was autumn in the Enchanted Forest, while it had been late spring in the Land of Untold Stories. It seemed that the seasons weren’t quite aligned between the two worlds, even though time ran at the same speed in both places.

Rumplestiltskin quickly registered all of this, together with the newfound heaviness in his chest. After almost a year, he’d nearly forgotten how it felt to have the darkness consuming his heart, how it seemed to drain his energy more with every passing second. He got back on his feet, helping Belle do the same. His hand had never left hers the whole time. 

“Are you alright, sweetheart?” he asked her.

Belle didn’t answer straight away. She was staring intently at him, her chest heaving with emotion. 

“Belle? Belle what’s wrong?” he asked again, his voice getting slightly hysterical and strangely high-pitched. That’s when he understood. 

“I haven’t seen you like this in years,” Belle whispered, raising her free hand to touch his face, stroking the scaled skin with unbelievable tenderness. 

Rumplestiltskin closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, feeling how the darkness recoiled from her light, making the ache in his chest more bearable. He complied happily when Belle used her hand to pull him closer, but it was only when he felt her breath on his face that he hastily backed away, covering his mouth with his hand so that no kiss could happen. 

“Rumple, what’s wrong?” Belle asked, and the hurt in her eyes made Rumplestiltskin want to punch himself in the face. Of course she would take that as a rejection, what had he been thinking?

“I don’t want it to happen here. I want to go to the Dark Castle, where everything began,” he explained as quickly as he could, not able to bear seeing his wife upset because of a misunderstanding.

“Rumple, we can’t waste any time. Your heart is growing weaker by the minute,” Belle rebutted, equally worried for Rumplestiltskin and annoyed at how stubborn he could be.

“It will only take a moment. Trust me,” he said.

Before she even had the chance to reply, he took her in his arms, lifting her like she weighed nothing, and she was so surprised by his gesture that she instinctively held onto him. Suddenly, she was reminded of a long gone day, when she’d ended up more or less in this same position after falling off of a ladder. Her heart was beating as furiously today as it had done back then, and in both cases she was sure it wasn’t because of the adrenaline. Rumplestiltskin’s closeness was intoxicating, it left her breathless and made all coherent thoughts slip from her mind. When he was holding her like this, it was like time ceased to exist. She was so engrossed in her husband that she didn’t immediately realize he’d teleported them into the Dark Castle.

What had once been their home was in a terrible state; after enduring two curses and three decades of abandonment, the castle was falling apart, covered in spiderwebs, and Belle looked at the desolation around her with a pang of nostalgia. 

“I told you, I really needed a maid to keep this place clean,” Rumplestiltskin quipped, but his giggle was cut short by a wince of pain, and he had to let go of Belle, hastily putting her back on her feet. 

“Rumple, stop being so stubborn and let me kiss you,” Belle pressed on, her heart racing with worry.

“Not yet. Please, Belle, I want this to be perfect,” Rumplestiltskin pleaded.

He waved his hands around, and the castle started coming back to life; the debris on the ground took once again the form of pedestals and cabinets, the broken windows were fixed, and an old spinning wheel appeared in the corner of the room.

“Rumplestiltskin, please, stop,” Belle begged, seeing how heavily he was panting now.

Using magic was taking a great toll on him, but Rumplestiltskin only stopped once everything was exactly as he wanted it to be. Once upon a time, in this very room, he’d ruined the magic of his first kiss with Belle because he’d been too afraid to accept her love. Now he had miraculously gotten a second chance, and he didn’t want to waste it. He wanted them to remember this moment forever.

Once Rumplestiltskin was satisfied with his work, he dropped heavily onto the seat of his spinning wheel, dragging Belle with him so that she could be in the very same spot where she’d sat so many years ago.

“You stubborn man,” she whispered, cupping his face in her hands. “You didn’t have to do all of this.”

“I wanted to,” he said simply, mesmerized by the love he saw in Belle’s eyes.

He’d wanted to give her everything as long as he still could. He’d wanted to hold her in his arms when he could still use his magic to sustain her weight, because he knew that, even with his ankle healed, he’d never have the strength to do that again. These were the last spells he’d ever cast, and he wanted them to be for her. 

“It’s amazing, you know? Seeing you like this once again, as you were when I fell in love with you,” Belle murmured, her breath catching in her throat.

She wove a hand through his hair, marveling at the texture of it, so similar to that of his human form, yet slightly different. She’d never gotten the chance to touch him like this when they were just master and servant, and neither had she ever seen so much openness in his reptilian eyes. He’d always been so wary and closed off back then, but now there were no walls keeping her out, there was nothing but utter love and trust between them. Rumplestiltskin took her hands in his, marveling at the contrast between his inhuman, marred skin and her pure one.

“Belle,” he started off, his voice trembling with emotion. “You loved me when I was a monster, when I didn’t even know how to love myself. Instead of letting my darkness scare you away, you took that darkness and turned it into light. When I pushed you away the first time, I accused you of trying to make me weak, but I know far too well that you’ve always been my strength. Thanks to you, I became a man my son could be proud of, and I got the chance to earn back his love before it was too late. Without you, I would have lost so much and, most importantly, I would have lost myself.”

Belle’s heart was beating a tattoo in her chest, the emotion making her feel dizzy. She hadn’t felt like this since the night they’d gotten married, and suddenly she realized that maybe this was exactly what Rumplestiltskin was doing; he was renewing their wedding vows, reaffirming his commitment to her in the place that had seen the blossoming of their love. 

He smiled at her, his lip trembling with emotion, and continued. “Your presence has made my life better in so many ways, and I can only hope that I will manage to make you as happy as you make me, in this new life we’ll build together. I love you, Belle; for better or for worse, my tattered and blackened heart will always belong to you.”

Belle gasped softly at his words. She wanted to tell him something just as meaningful, and she was scrambling her brain for the right thing to say, when she realized there was no need for it. Rumplestiltskin was slowly inching towards her, his breath labored and his eyes shining with unshed tears, and Belle in that moment knew that words would have been trivial. She closed her eyes, leaning towards her husband, and she felt her heart skip a beat when their lips finally met. 

For a moment, all she could feel was the softness of his lips under hers. Then she felt it; the light tingle of magic, the power of True Love that was slowly starting to work its miracle. Rumplestiltskin delved one of his hands into her hair, keeping her close even as he pulled back by a fraction of an inch.

“Kiss me again,” he murmured against her lips. “It’s working.” 

Belle happily obliged, and Rumplestiltskin kissed her back with a fiery passion, knowing all too well that his last chance to keep his magic had just passed, and he’d willingly missed it. He was scared, he always would be, but much less so with Belle by his side.

There was a burst of light, a wave of magic that chased away all the darkness once and for all. When Belle pulled back, opening her eyes to look at her husband, the first thing she saw were Rumple’s own eyes, once again brown and warm. He was smiling at her, and she smiled back, feeling as though her own heart was lighter as well. 

This was a new beginning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the last thing I wrote for Camp NaNo, and I hope you'll like it as much as I liked writing it. I'm really fond of this story, and writing about these two dorks in love it's always a pleasure. We did need some fluff after the last chapter, didn't we?


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